1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to saws for removing floors and particularly to saws that cut floors under the toe kick of cabinets.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In remodeling, one of the more frequent types of jobs involves remodeling kitchens or other spaces that have base cabinets installed. Often, these jobs call for a new floor. In many cases, the original cabinets are not removed, but refinished. To replace the floor the old flooring must be cut out and removed. Often this requires removal of the sub floor as well. In cases where the cabinets are not removed, removal of the floor under cabinet toe kicks can be difficult. A toe kick is a small recess, usually about 3 inches high that is built into the front of cabinets to allow a person to get close to a cabinet without having the person""s feet hit the cabinet. The recess allows the person""s toes to fit under the cabinet front.
While the toe kick is a very convenient feature for cabinets, it is not so convenient when workers have to remove flooring from under them.
Presently, there is only one power tool that can fit under this space. This is a single purpose toe kick saw that has limitations and is difficult to use. There is also a drill type attachment that can be used, but is dangerous in its operation. Both of these tools are expensive and are not likely to be found in a typical carpenter""s toolbox. Without that tool, workers have to break out the floor using chisels or wrecking bars to pry up the flooring. This can cause problems if the flooring is broken out under the cabinets.
The instant invention overcomes this problem. It is a device that fits onto a standard type circular saw. It has an attachment arbor that attaches to the arbor on the saw. It has an extension shaft and an outer brace to support the extension shaft. The extension shaft extends past the outer brace a distance sufficient to permit a small trim blade to fit under the cabinet toe kick. The small blade is held on the end of the extension shaft and is provided with a small guard.
The attachment is designed to fit any size of circular saw. The only adjustment needed is to the length of the extension shaft between the saw arbor and the inside of the guard. In practice different length extension arbors can be made to fit the most common circular saws.
The device allows a user to place the circular saw on a floor and to position the small blade under the toe kick to cut a line in the floor along the base of the cabinets. In one embodiment, the base plate of the circular saw is removable to allow slightly greater cutting depth. This depth is greater than that available in any other toe kick saw.
In this way, the saw attachment allows a worker to cut through the floor and, if necessary, the sub-floor completely around the base cabinets. Once this cut is made, workers can then cut and pry up the rest of the floor, knowing that the floor will come up along the lines previously cut, leaving the cabinets in place and unharmed. Workers can then lay a new floor and sub floor in the space and proceed with the job.
This tool allows workers to cut the floor with a power tool owned by virtually all carpenters-a circular saw. This not only saves time, but also reduces the cost of jobs by not having to buy or rent the expensive single purpose toe kick saws or the dangerous drill type attachments.
The attachment in this